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rasp Inner circle 1124 Posts |
I was given a promo code for this app, in return for a review.
I have now been playing with this for an hour, and to be honest I don't like it. The instructions are inadequate and make no sense at all. It is customisable in settings, in so far as being able to change the colour of the cards and box. But the sliders are sluggish and awkward. The actual force card has to be set up in advance, it would not be possible to do this on the fly. As for the actual effect, this basically entails forcing a card and having the spectator replace the card in the pack, or card box, and then using the iphone/ipod touch like an xray machine to show the selected card. For me that is a pretty boring thing to watch. I have already deleted this app from my phone. Sorry Joe if this is not the positive review you where expecting, but I did say I would only give an honest one, and it is only my personal opinion. Im sure there will be others that think differently. No hard feelings I hope. Regards, Ian. |
Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4694 Posts |
The vast majority of card tricks can be summed up with the following formula: Magician shuffles deck of playing cards. Participant takes one, looks at it, and commits it to memory (sometimes showing it to their friends or the rest of the audience). Card is returned to the deck. The deck is shuffled again. Magician reveals identity of card in (occasionally) interesting manner. End of trick.
“Card Vision,” an iPhone app created by Joe Medancic, falls into the above theme by serving as the revelatory device. The premise is quite simple; the magician apparently transforms their iPhone (or iPod Touch) into a clever “x-ray” camera. In the most basic of usage, the selected card would be reversed and returned somewhere in the middle of the deck (without the magician seeing the identity), and then returned to its box. The magician then starts up the app and an image of the card box is seen on its display. As the iPhone is moved around, the perspective of the card box changes in response. Finally, the magician lays their iPhone on top of the box, and a ghostly image of the selected card can be seen inside the box. The app is not a trick in itself. The magician will need to use a deck of cards and be able to force a card upon the participant using their favorite method (although you could also use a glimpse or a marked deck if you’re feeling particularly bold). This will most likely eliminate the idea that the iPhone does all the work and gives credit back to the magician, while still offering a little mystery in the form of impossible technology. The initial version (1.0), currently available in the App store for a reasonable $1.99, is still a bit sparse in actual instruction on how to properly use it, but by watching the video on the support website, you can get a better idea of its full capabilities and the options you have to customize it. The card box and back design of the cards is the traditional Bicycle® brand, and not only do you have the option to use either a red- or blue-backed deck, but Joe has included eight other color choices to match some of the specialty or holiday versions available. You can also set the “table” color with a full spectrum palette to get an exact match of the surface you place the box on (assuming you’re not using a table with a patterned or heavily textured surface). The final bit of customization is selecting the starting position of the box in relationship to the iPhone. The moving perspective of the box does not use the built-in camera of the iPhone, so this app can also be run on an iPod Touch, which either makes it more baffling, or else makes no sense whatsoever. Instead, it uses an internal 3D model of the card box and the iPhone’s accelerometer to control the perspective. Even on my second-generation 3G, it runs fairly smoothly presuming you don’t make any movements too suddenly. It is possible to input the identity of the card during the course of your presentation if you’re particularly brave and/or dextrous, and this would allow you to use a glimpse or a marked deck. However, most performers will probably prefer to use a force and just set up the revealed card in advance. You also have the option of having a written message indicating the card instead of the actual image, although I’m not sure why anyone would use that. Once the app is running, you have some additional options under your control. You can reposition the actual box, and a subtle finger swipe on the screen will cause the image to follow your actions. You can also choose to open the box, or eliminate the box entirely and just show the deck of cards, or even just a single playing card. So if you’re looking for a way to employ your iPhone or iPod touch as a revelation for your close-up card magic routine, “Card Vision” is a viable option, reasonably-priced, and thoroughly customizable. The instructions are a bit too sparse, but a diligent performer can figure out how to use it with a bit of experimentation (and carefully watching the demo video). I’ll be interested to see what refinements Joe decides to add for the next version of this app. For more information, check out the developer’s support website at http://www.matchygames.com/cardvision.html
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
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